The award-winning singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers has unveiled an interesting suite of new material – kicking off with the announcement of her book “Just Don’t Be A Dickhead” (Hardie Grant Books). The material has informed and inspired her new album “Backbone”.
Chambers said: “I’ve just finished writing a book! I am beyond excited to be releasing it along with a brand-new album. [It] is a collection of stories and experiences from my life that I’ve learnt from over the years. Some from humorous, embarrassing moments, some from deep, heartfelt memories that taught me unlikely things to consistently draw on along the way.”
Published in Australia on 1st October 2024 in paperback, ebook and audiobook “Just Don’t Be a Dickhead… and other profound things I’ve learnt” is as honest and heartfelt as you’d expect from Chambers. From her childhood in the Australian outback to the heights of her success as a singer-songwriter, she has trusted her gut, stuck to her values and learned some hard truths, always while trying to live by the best advice she’s ever received: just don’t be a dickhead.
QR codes appear throughout the book to take the reader to the story’s correlating song. The audio book also delivers a unique listener experience that includes Chambers reading and performing songs. The link to order the book is here.
Never one to shy away from home truths, introspective storytelling and unfiltered honesty, Chambers’ writing weaves through both “Backbone” and the similarly versatile book. “Backbone” promises to take listeners on a journey through not only where Chambers has been over the years, but where she’s at right now.
For “Backbone”, Chambers enlisted her dad and guitarist Bill Chambers, guitarist Brandon Dodd and long-time bassist Jeff McCormack supplemented for the first time by guitarist Sam Teskey (The Teskey Brothers) and drummer Brady Blade (Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Dave Matthews).
“Good and bad, this album is who I am,” she says. “I worked with my favourite musicians, and I sang about every beautiful, joyous, embarrassing and tough thing I’ve gone through. Everything that’s gone into making me this person. Even before anyone has heard this album or read the book, I feel like I’ve achieved something special.” You can pre-save / pre-order the album here.
The album’s title track ‘Backbone (The Desert Child)’ is the first single with its accompanying video which you can see here.
